List of members of the New Zealand Legislative Council

Twice during its existence, in 1885 and 1950, membership peaked at 53 councillors; on the second occasion due to the so-called suicide squad that the National Government appointed to ensure that members voted for the abolition of the Legislative Council.

[2] Captain Bellairs, Major Lloyd, Dr Ralph Richardson, and Henry Petre belonged to the first group.

[6] As the power of the governor over New Zealand politics gradually decreased, it became the convention that appointments were made on the recommendation of the premier (later prime minister), essentially meaning that councillors were selected by the government of the day.

[1] Tenure was changed by the Liberal Government to seven years; both political factions had campaigned in the 1890 election for a reform of the Legislative Council.

[1] The outgoing Atkinson Ministry made six appointments to the Legislative Council in January 1891 (Harry Atkinson, James Fulton, John Davies Ormond, William Downie Stewart, John Blair Whyte, and Charles Johnston), and these were the last life appointments.

The so-called suicide squad[10] appointed by the First National Government to ensure the abolition of the Legislative Council was the reason for achieving the maximum size on the second occasion.

[12] The Legislative Council had a speaker, and from 1865 a chairman of committees; these roles were modelled on the equivalent functions in the New Zealand House of Representatives.

[19] Three more women were appointed in 1950 as part of the suicide squad: Agnes Weston, Cora Louisa Burrell, and Ethel Gould.

Members of the New Zealand Legislative Council in 1894
John Acland was one of the many runholders during the 19th century that were on the Legislative Council
At 61 years of service, W. D. H. Baillie had the longest membership of the Legislative Council
Alfred Cadman was Speaker in 1904–1905
Mary Dreaver , one of the first two women appointed in 1946
William Fitzherbert was twice Speaker for a total of 12 years
Hugh Gourley was first appointed in 1899 and served for one seven-year term
John Jenkinson was first appointed in 1892, when the Liberal Government started appointing trade unionists onto the Legislative Council
Mōkena Kōhere , one of the first two Māori appointed in 1872
Āpirana Ngata , often described as New Zealand's foremost Māori politician, was appointed in 1950, but was too ill and died without ever having taken his seat
Daniel Pollen was a member of the Legislative Council when he served as Premier ; he was never a Member of Parliament
Edward Richardson was for many years an MP before serving on the Legislative Council for one seven-year term
Henry Sewell was New Zealand's first premier in 1856
Hōri Kerei Taiaroa 's disqualification from the Legislative Council in August 1880 over a technicality caused bitterness and resentment among Māori [ 29 ]
George Waterhouse was a member of the Legislative Council when he served as Premier ; he was never a Member of Parliament in New Zealand
Frederick Whitaker was a member of the Legislative Council when he served as Premier ; he was a Member of Parliament at other times